Bulb holder for indicator illumination



FIG. 2

AGENT g- 5, 1959 w. E. STAPF BULB HOLDER FOR INDICATOR ILLUMINATION Filed Aug. 30. 1967 FIG. I

a a w. a m m mu I s I ii l N E m /l/V/J J Jl/r VI/Ill 1 M H 2 O\ A m r... 2 w u M 3 4 1 x M 4 3 3 2 Y 4 2 B o b n W 1 G ill/6G. F 2 M. 7 W 2 m 0 a 2 a A 2 M 2 m H 3 T 2 W i 5 2 5 Z A G g 8 6 3 WV 0 I I 2 I F 2 F m 7 J 4 W 2 2 4 2 2 2 United States Patent 3,460,087 BULB HOLDER FOR INDICATOR ILLUMINATION William E. Stapf, Alexandria, Va., assignor to American li/Iachine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New ersey Filed Aug. 30, 1967, Ser. No. 664,531

Int. Cl. H]; 1/14; H01r 13/50, 13/22 US. Cl. 339-17 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A printed circuit board with openings therethrough and through separate printed circuit portions for mounting lamps with flanged contact bases and providing separate electrical connections for each lamp, a fastener extending from the board engaging another printed circuit portion, and a spring member releasably mounted on said fastener and engaging the other contacts of all the lamps.

This invention relates generally to electric lamp holders and more particularly to means for mounting miniature electric lamps and for providing circuit connections thereto.

An electric lamp holder made in accordance with the present invention is particularly adapted for use in encased devices which are used in relatively large quantities such as illuminable alarm modules which are mounted in frames to provide a central surveillance panel.

An object of the present invention is to provide a holder assembly with circuit connection means for a plurality of miniature electric lamps which is of relatively uncomplicated, rugged and inexpensive construction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide the foregoing holder assembly which can be quickly replaced with facility as a single unit while the lamps are supported thereby.

And another object of the present invention is to provide the foregoing holder assembly having a minimum of separable parts required for removing and releasably retaining the electric lamps.

The present invention contemplates a holder assembly for a plurality of electric lamps each having a flanged contact base and a contact extending through the center of and being insulated from the base, comprising a board of dielectric material being provided with at least two conductor pads which are exposed on one side of the board and spaced from one another; one of said pads being provided for each of the lamps to be supported by said assembly and adapted for connection to one side of an electric source; each pad having an opening therethrough which extends through said board for receiving and holding an electric lamp, and being engaged by the flanged contact base of the lamp being held; said board being provided with another conductor pad spaced between said two conductor pads; said other conductor pad having an opening therethrough which extends through said board, and being adapted for connection to the other side of an electric source; an elongated member of electrically conductive material at one end engaging said other pad, extending through the opening thereof and being connected to said board, said elongated member having at its other end an enlarged head spaced from said board; and a spring retainer member of conductive material having an open end slot to receive said elongated member and being retained by said enlarged head; said retainer member engaging the lamp contacts to provide with said elongated member a common electrical connection between all the engaged contacts and said other pad, and biasing the flanged contact bases toward said board.

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The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows, taken together with the accompanying drawings wherein one embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for lllustration purposes only and are not to be construed as defining the limits of the invention.

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a module embodying the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the module of FIGURE 1 with a portion of the sidewall thereof broken away to expose the novel lamp holder assembly made in accordance with the present invention,

FIGURE 3 is a rear elevational view of the lamp holder assembly,

FIGURES 4 and 5 are enlarged sectional views taken on lines 4-4 and 55, respectively, and

FIGURE 6 is a rear elevational view of the lamp holder board.

It should be understood at the outset that a lamp holder in accordance with the present invention may be made to support various numbers of lamps. The present selection of a holder for two lamps is to facilitate description and is not intended to define the limits of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG- URES l and 2, an illumina'ble module 10 is of the type which are mounted in large quantities in a frame to provide an illuminable alarm panel (not shown). Module 10 has a housing portion 11 with plug in means 12 extending rearwardly therefrom for making various electrical connections when mounted.

The housing portion 11 is provided with a front bezel 13 mounting a lens 14, and has an open side which is closed by a cover plate 15 to prevent contamination from entering and fouling the module. A knob 16 is mounted on the end of a switch operating shaft 17 which extends through bezel 13, and a pair of screws 18 which extend through the ends of the bezel are provided for releasably retaining the module 10 in its mount. A pair of spaced tracks 19 are provided in the front end of the housing portion 11 (FIGURE 2) for receiving and releasably supporting a holder assembly 20, made in accordance with the present invention, for lamps 40 which are to illuminate the lens 14.

The novel holder assembly 20 as shown in FIGURES 2 to 5 is comprised of supporting means 21 (see also FIG- URE 6) and retaining means 31. More particularly, the retaining means 21 is a printed dielectric circuit board with electrically conductive material providing a pair of conductor pads 22, exposed on one side or surface of the board, which are spaced from one another. Another conductor pad 23 is similarly provided on the same side or surface of the board 21 and disposed between pads 22.

Each of the pads 22 has an opening which extends through the board 21 and an eyelet 24 which is disposed in each such opening. Pad 23 is provided with an opening in the same manner as pads 22. A carrier or stud means shown as a rivet 25, which extends through the opening in pad 23, is connected at one end to board 21 and extends therefrom terminating at its other end in an enlarged head 26. Board 21 may be provided with pads on its front surface which correspond to pads 22 and 23. However, it may be desirable merely to provide a reflector surface.

A lamp 40 is inserted into each eyelet 24 so the filament enclosing glass envelope 41 extends forwardly of the front face or surface of board 21. The envelope 41 is closed by a flanged base 42 which is one contact or terminal of lamp 40 and engages the eyelet 24 through which it extends. The other contact or terminal 43 of each lamp 40 extends through the center of and is insulated from the flanged base 42.

For positive electrical connection when holder assembly 20 is inserted into the module 10, each of the pads 22 is provided with an opening 27, which extends through board 21, to receive a conductor terminal (not shown). Pad 23 is provided with a similar opening 28. Thus, lamps 40 are mounted in board 21 and one side of the filament of each is electrically connected to a pad 22 by its flanged contact base 42 and an eyelet 24 engage-d thereby. Alternatively, the pads 22 and 23 may be used to provide conductive surfaces which are engaged by spring contacts (not shown) when the holder assembly 20 is inserted into module 10. Another modified means of connection is to provide each pad 22 and pad 23 with contact terminal 27A and 28A, respectively, as is indicated in FIG- URE 6 which extend to one edge of board 21 and are received in a terminal socket (not shown) when assembly 20 is inserted into module 10.

To releasably hold lamps 40 in the openings in board 21 and to electrically connect the other side of each filament thereof, retaining means 31 is provided. Retaining means 31 is a plate member of spring type conductive material having in one edge an open end centrally disposed slot 32, and a formed flange 33 at the other edge opposite from the slot to provide a gripping means. The retainer member 31 is slidingly positioned between the board 21 and the rivet head 26 with the rivet 25 disposed through slot 32 at its closed end. Member 31 overlays lamps 40 and is provided with deformations or dimples 34 at its ends each engaging one of the lamp contacts 43.

It should be readily understood that the retainer member 31 exerts a positive spring force on the lamps 40.

Thi biases the flanged contact bases 42 into engagement with the corresponding eyelets to provide good electrical connections therebetween, and also results in good electrical connections for the lamp contacts 43. The spring forces exerted on lamp 40, in addition to providing good electrical connections, also provides an indent/detent self locking means to prevent the retainer member 31 from inadvertently working loose because lamp contacts 43 are seated in deformations 34.

Although but a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Various changes may also be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as the same will now be understood by those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A holder assembly for electric lamps of the type which have a flanged base providing a filament contact and another filament contact extending through and being insulated from said base, comprising:

a board of dielectric material having electrically conductive material providing at least two conductor pads exposed on one side of said board and spaced from each other, one of said pads being provided for each lamp to be supported by said assembly and adapted for individual connection to one side of a source of electric energy;

each of said pads having an opening therethrough which extends through said board for receiving and holding a lamp, and which is of smaller diameter than the diameter of the base flange of the lamp held therein;

said electrically conductive material providing another pad on the same side of the board as and being disposed between said spaced pads, and being adapted for connection to the other side of the source of electrical energy;

an electrically conductive member connected at one end to said board and in conductive engagement with said other pad;

said conductive member extending from its connected end and terminating at its other end having retaining means spaced from the side of said board with said exposed pads; and a retainer member of conductive material removably mounted on said conductive member and engaging the other contacts of all the lamps being supported by said board to provide with said conductive member and other pad a common electrical connection for all such other lamp contacts; said retainer member being held against movement away from said board and biasing the base flanges of all the lamps into engagement with the respective pads through which said lamps extend. 2. The holder assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said retainer member includes:

a slot open at one edge of said member for receiving said conductive member; and a splurality of deformations forming recesses each for receiving the end an other contact of a different one of said lamps; each of said recesses and the contact end received thereby forming an indent-detent arrangement impositively preventing removal of said retaining member. 3. The holder assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

all of the pads are elongated in the same direction toward one edge of said board each providing a contact surface for a spring type terminal member. 4. The holder assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

all of the pads are elongated in the same direction toward one edge of said board; and each pad having an opening through its elongated portion and through said board to receive a pin type terminal member. 5. The holder assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

each of said pads have a reduced portion extending therefrom to an edge of said board to provide a printed circuit type terminal therefor; and all of said terminals being disposed at the same edge of the board and spaced from one another. 6. The holder assembly in accordance with claim 1, further including:

at least two tubular members of conductive material each extending through the opening through a different one of said two pads and said board each forming a socket to receive a lamp; and the ends of each of said tubular members being deformed to lock said members to said board and in contact with said pads. 7. The holder assembly in accordance with claim 1, further including:

another tubular member of conductive material extending through the opening through said other pad and said board, and receiving and retaining the connected end of said conductive member; and the ends of said tubular member being deformed to lock said member to said board and in contact with said other pad.

8. The holder assembly in accordance with claim 1,

further including:

a plurality of tubular members of conductive material each extending through the opening through a different one of said pads and said board, forming a socket for the pad through which it extends; and

the ends of each of said tubular members being deformed outwardly to lock said members to said board and to contact said pads.

9. The holder assembly in accordance with claim 8,

wherein said retainer member includes:

a slot open at one edge of said member for receiving said conductive member; and

a plurality of deformations forming recesses each for receiving the end an other contact of a different one of said lamps;

each of said recesses and the contact end received thereby forming an indent-detent arrangement impositively preventing removal of said retaining member.

10. The holder assembly in accordance with claim 9,

wherein:

all of the pads are elongated in the same direction toward one edge of said board; and

each pad having an opening through its elongated portion and through said board to receive a pin type terminal member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner 10 PATRICK A. CLIFFORD, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 339-154 

